Journal 5/13/1983
P1 Sanjuan attacks RepMar loans
Pedro Sanjuan, assistant secretary of Interior for territorial and international affairs, had harsh words Monday this week for financial management in the US and Trust Territory. “With few notable exceptions, the financial picture in the territories is bleak,” he said.”The Marshalls and Palau have proven they are not prepared to make sound financial decisions. The government has purchased airplanes and electrical generating equipment far in excess of the islands’ needs and ability to pay…Both the Marshalls and Palau expect the United States to bail them out…”
P1 Oscar deBrum: Loans based on Compact-level funding and ‘desperate’ needs
Chief Secretary Oscar deBrum told a US House of Representatives appropriation hearing that he wanted to be able to report good news but could not. “The facts are that our government is now confronted with a serious financial crisis. The crisis was created in large part by a series of unfulfilled expectations based on calculated projections of funds under the Compact of Free Association, approval of which has been unexpectedly delayed. The first expectation arose from the pledge of a previous US administration that the trusteeship would be terminated in 1981, at which time we anticipated that Compact-level funding would be available.”
P1 Senator Jeton Anjain resigns as Health Services minister
Minister of Health Jeton Anjain submitted his resignation from the Cabinet citing a conflict of interest to his Rongelap constituents because of 177 (nuclear claims) issues. Senator Anjain said his loyalty goes first to his people, and then to the government.
P9 Coop graduation
Majuro Coop School held its first graduation this week. David Kramer, Robin Paiva and Baron Bigler were the first graduates (from eighth grade).
Journal 5/15/1992
P1 Top talker
Marshall Islands High School senior Yolanda Lodge was congratulated by Assumption student Loren Mamis after winning the Education Week speech contest last week.
P1 Tobolar launches new coconut soap
Tobolar’s new soap factory began producing its first bars of coconut oil soap earlier this month in Majuro, and is getting ready to market the new soap.
Journal 5/18/2012
P1 Hear this: ‘You can do what Mela’s done!’
Ebeye born and raised Mela Langinbelang has done something no one else from the RMI has done: She graduated this week with a bachelor’s degree in deaf studies from Gallaudet University in Washington, DC. Langinbelang, whose family hails from Jaluit and Mejit, is deaf.
P11 Question of the week
Why is it that 54 years after the last nuclear test was exploded in the Marshall Islands, information about the fallout from the majority of the 67 US tests conducted is still classified top secret by the US government and has not been released publicly?
P12 Outer islands face dismal future
Conditions on outer islands have been deteriorating gravely over the past few years, and a recent report from Ailinglaplap serves to underscore the decline. In one of Ailinglaplap’s secondary communities, Jeh, both a depletion of population and closure of schools has resulted in a stressed population profile, leaving the current residents characterized by numerous young children and older white-haired caretakers reflecting the composition.